Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1887-10-12
AMONG THE KIRGHESE,
Their Peculiar and Complicated
Betrothal Customs.

The Kirghese nomads never marry within
the tribe or ''aul." They arc strict exog.
amists, and generally seek son or
daughter-in-law from remote settlement,
five hundred versts being deemed no dis
tance to go in order to make a suitable
match. Owing to this, AID the custom of
selling the bride, a betrothal becomes an
extremely complicated affair to arrange, in-
volving much going to and fro on the part
OF the Intermediates. A series of enter
tainments has to be given by both parties,
at which innumerable fat sheep-tails are
consumed and washed down with tea soup
favored with cream and wild herbs. And
as all the young women belonging to an
aul, married as well as unmarried, have
right to take part in a transaction referring
to the disposal of one of their own sex, O be-
trothal is always very lively affair, and
is made the occasion Of good deal Of prac-
tical joking.
Bride and bridegroom may be of any age
between six months and sixteen years. The
Kirghese father desirous of finding part
ner for son or daughter assemblies the near
est male relatives of his family, and selects
one, the eldest or shrewdeSt, to act as inter-
mcdiary. This Individual receives the title of
'Dshautcht,'' and plays an important part
in the transaction up to the marriage cere-
nony, though it may take place years after.
He is fully informed as to the fathers wish
es, and knows the highest price he may ven-
ture to offer for a girl il he be commits
stoned to procure a daughter-in-law. He
then starts for the aul where he expects to
find suitable bride for his client, and, after
looking around him thcro, makes his choice.
He thcreupon formally calls upon the girls
father and makes a tender for the daugh-
tcr's hand If the offer is accepted the pa
rent calls in q servant and orders him TO
kill a sheep in honor of the visitor and pre-
pare supper. II this compliment be omitted
the "Dshautchi' understands that his offer
is declined with thanks. Over their NUT
ton stow and "1umiss'' the negotiation is
carried n step further and a day is appoint
ed-a Wednesday or Thursday always,
these being the two lucky days of the week
for the bridcgroom's agents and repre-
scntatives to pay a visit to the aul and agree
upon the details of the bctrothal.
On the day fixed the father of the young
man, accompanied by fifteen male friends
who act as Intermediates, makes his aD-
pearance in the aul. All are got up in gala
costume, and are received by the brides
father and conducted to Il ''yurta" specially
reserved for them and gayly decorated for
the occasion. A grand dinner is prepared
and it is customary to have present a couple
of Tartar singers, one male and one female,
who sing the praises of the bride compar-
ing her to a beautiful tree, high mounA
in, fine horse, rapid stream. Dinncl
er, the guests are taken round tho en-
campmcnt and introduced 10 all the leading
people; and then they settle down to the
real prsiness Of the day, the fixing of the
''kalim,' or price to be paid for the bride
This kalir is not a varying sum dependent
upon the status and means Of the individ-
ual; it is invariable for each class or de-
grec. 1t is calculated in "baitals," or
mares; and the immcmorial usage Of tho
nonad people requires it to consist of either
100 mares, a, 67, IA, 81 or % mares. A kalim
Of 100 mares is the highest known, one of 81
the lowest. The prico is always paid in the
shape of useful quadrupeds. For this pur-
pose certain standards Of value are fixed:
thus one camel is rccllorcd the equivalent
of five mares, blccd horse is worth thrcc
mares, q good stallion two mares, while
twenty sheep are equal to one mare. The
kalim includes, moreover, q sh TT of mail. a
gun and trained hawk employed in fox
hunting-a form OF sport for which the Kir-
ghese have passion. In place of these,
Eve to twenty mares may be given. AS
soon as the amount and manner of payment
are finally settled, the whole party have to
partake of dish known as "tyustyukn 1t
consists of o breast of mutton roasted and
cut Up into very small pieces; and the eat
ing of this is held to indicate that the con-
.ract made between the parties is irrevoca-
DE.
Now the young women of the aul come
around to play their part in the ceremony.
They prepare plentiful supper, which is
July served to the guests; and toward the
end OF the meal brin : in q dish called "dsara-
mak," made OF minced sheep fat and liver
mixed With curds and dried cheese. Six of
The sturdiest lasses carry it around to the
oldest ''Dshautchi," who bends over il and
takes little. As he docs SO the voun o
woman nearest him will dip her first finger
IN the stew and smear il over his face. He
is obliged to submit; and not only so, but
he has to take the dish, hand it TO the go
between next him in age, and serve him
precisely as he has been served. In this
way the dsar1mak is passed round to all in
succession, each snearing his neighbor S
face amid loud laughter. Then the men are
obliged t. ask for water with which to wash
off the grease; and this is not brought until
gifts arc made for the service rendered
them. The guests then riS3 to quit the
place only to find themselves the victims OF
another joke. While they have been atsup-
per some Of the young women have been
busy sewing their long coats, or ''chalats, "
70 the cushions and carpets upon which they
are seated. When they make q move they
! find themselves fast or hauling a heavy
cushion after them. Only upon payment Of
fine 10 kind are the membranes in rear
cut of Not unfrequcntly the girls refuse
10 90 tns at any price: and a particularly
conceised young Kirghesc may have the
modification of walking about among the
lasses for an entire evening with couple
of six-foot carpets dangling tail-wise from
his best chalet
Tie fifteen friends of the bridegroom are
then conducted TO another yurta nicely dec
Grated, where they take their seats on one
side. Opposite them the young women,
whose guests they arc become, take their
places and challenge them to cap verses.
The fair Kirghcse are very clever ut this
| sort of thing, which the men understand lit
tie about; and as every failure TO reply In,
wolves penalty, the girls make further
addition TO their store of gifts The ffteeA
are aftervard called on to sing; and the un-
lucky Tartar who either can't or won't be-
comes the butt Of the party Of girls. They